FAMILY FOUNDATION FUND'S "GOLDEN YEARS" CAMPAIGN BENEFITING ONNIE & MARGIENELL KIRK

Please allow us to share. The story starts at Southwestern Book Company. After years of working in sales and management, Onnie and Margienell kirk noticed the difference between young people that had fathers in their lives and those that did not. Students that had strong families could handle the hardships that came with selling books door-to-door. Students that didn't have present fathers and strong families often struggled or quit mid-summer.

Seeing this pattern repeated led Onnie to leave the comforts of corporate America in search of a solution. In the early eighties, they started a service company - How May We Serve You. The intention of this business was building relationships with young men and modeling what it means to provide and care for a family. Onnie booked clients and filled service calls. Margienell ran the office, did the bookkeeping and kept the taxes paid (Amen, somebody!)

The years of cleaning houses, washing windows and parking cars with young men allowed Onnie and Margienell to further witness the devastating impact of fatherlessness in America. So, in 1992, with the backing of many former service clients (that were also prominent Nashvillians), the founded Family Foundation Fund (FFF).

For thirty years, Onnie, Margienell and countless volunteers and supporters have cared for single moms and mentored young men into Christ-centered manhood. As a result, the FFF changed hundreds of lives and achieved its mission to answer the call in James 1:27: Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

But this work has not come without both emotional and financial sacrifices by Onnie, Margienell and their family. In recognition of their service, the FFF Board has established a golden years fund and request that you consider a gift/pledge (up to 2 years) to honor them and FFF's legacy.

While the work of FFF mentoring young men and caring for single mothers is sunsetting, Onnie's legacy of spiritual mentorship will continue into his retirement years as he shifts his energy and focus from "sons" to "fathers".

"Where Are The Fathers?" is Onnie's personal initiative. The intention is to encourage, challenge and equip fathers to be intentional in the lives of their sons in order to guide their life journey.

If you make a gift to the Kirk golden Years Campaign, it will help:

* Provide for the Kirk's golden years

* celebrate their years of service

* Afford Onnie the opportunity to continue his intentional fatherhood crusade

With Gratitude,

The FFF Board of Directors

When you stop and think about the most troubling social problems our country faces, a common factor arises -- fatherlessness. Teen suicides, high school dropouts, violent criminals, drug and alcohol abusers and the list goes on, all have fatherless or absentee fathering as a common factor.

The Family Foundation Fund (FFF) was created as an answer to the problem of Fatherlessness, and the staggering statistics associated with it. We can't support and change the life of every child, but through mentorships and connecting young men to surrogate fathers, boys can mature into men who make positive impacts as fathers thusly transforming the lives of their families and building strong communities.

When we consider the possible outcomes for these boys' lives, the time invested, prayer, and a father's love have been invaluable. 

112 boys have gone through the program. Upon completion of the program, these young men have gone on to serve in the United States Armed Forces and attend college, trade programs, and technical schools. They've become responsible husbands, parents, and business owners who care for their families and are productive citizens in the communities in which they are involved.

* $2,334,540 in scholarship funding for program participants. This allowed FFF sons to receive a Christ-centered college prop education and achieve a 100% High School graduation rate!

* 399,558 total hours invested by surrogate fathers in the lives of their FFF sons.

Most of the surrogate fathers and summer mentors were birthed from the When Men Pray tri-annual prayer gatherings. From 1994-2004 over 6,000 men would gather to pray for our city and their families at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday mornings.

* 75,950 hours were involved in the FFF mentoring experience. This includes the Son Farm Agricultural experience where father figures and FFF sons produced over 56,000 lbs. of organically grown produce. Each summer the sons would participate in a two-week Son camp which allowed them to shadow volunteer mentors in their professional careers, intern with corporate community partners, and conduct morning devotionals. This included transportation.

* 26,000+ hours enjoying Recreational Fridays as guests of Family Foundation Fund partners, and the annual enrichment trips. Recreational Fridays and the annual enrichment trips are designed to expand the FFF son's world view through  air travel, white water rafting, tubing, hot air balloon rides, skiing and snorkeling. Enrichment trips included Hersey PA, San Antonio TX, Orlando FL, Colorado, Puerto Rico, Cuba, London England, Bahamas, Virgin Islands, and Carnival Cruises.